Promoting an awareness of retractions: the Louisiana State University Medical Center in Shreveport experience

The current mission statement of the Medical Library Association states that it is "dedicated to improving health through professional excellence and leadership of its members in the ... provision of information services and educational programs ..." With this goal in mind, retractions offer medical librarians a professional challenge to become involved in the scientific process. Through results of a survey conducted among the consortium of South Central Academic Medical Libraries (SCAMeL), this paper reveals opinions on the importance of retraction awareness and who is responsible for disseminating this knowledge. The paper also reports what the Louisiana State University Medical Center at Shreveport Library and other SCAMeL member libraries are doing to promote awareness.     

Taking the plunge into the gene pool: Teaching and learning in genetics

Genetics is an area of science that causes problems for children. This paper reviews initial findings from research into children's views of how inheritance works and the role this plays in their overall view of genetics. The implications these results have for the traditional approach to genetics education are outlined. An alternative approach is proposed. Specializations: teacher development, science and technology curriculum development.     

The effectiveness of machine score-ability ratings in predicting automated scoring performance

ABSTRACT

This study sought to provide a framework for evaluating machine score-ability of items using a new score-ability rating scale, and to determine the extent to which ratings were predictive of observed automated scoring performance. The study listed and described a set of factors that are thought to influence machine score-ability; these factors informed the score-ability rating applied by expert raters. Five Reading items, six Science items, and 10 Math items were examined. Experts in automated scoring served as reviewers, providing independent ratings of score-ability before engine calibration. Following the rating, engines were calibrated and their performances were evaluated using common industry criteria. Three derived criteria from the engine evaluations were computed: the score-ability value in the rating scale based on the empirical results, the number of industry evaluation criteria met by the engine, the approval status of the engine based on the number of criteria met. The results indicated that the score-ability ratings were moderately correlated with Science score-ability, the ratings were weakly correlated with Math score-ability, and were not correlated with Reading score-ability.     

BBC Radio Ulster: Public Service Radio in Northern Ireland’s Divided Society

BBC radio has been broadcast in Northern Ireland since shortly after the establishment of the country in the early 1920s. Throughout this period it has been faced by the challenge of how to deliver public service radio in a divided society, one that has for many years experienced violent conflict. Today as BBC Radio Ulster, the station has the highest audience reach of any BBC network radio service or those nations services in Scotland and Wales. This article outlines how BBC policy serves to deliver this performance, by examining a BBC Trust Service Review in relation to culture and diversity.     

Computational auditory scene analysis: listening to several things at once

The problem of distinguishing particular sounds, such as conversation, against a background of irrelevant noise is a matter of common experience. Psychologists have studied it for some 40 years, but is is only comparatively recently that computer modelling of the phenomenon has been attempted. This article reviews progress made, possible practical applications, and prospects for the future.